Improvement in combined secretaries, wardrobes, and bedsteads



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A. WEEKS. Combined Secretaries, wardrobes, and Bedsteads.

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GombinedSecretarias, wardrobes, and Bedsteadsf. NO. 145,703, Patented Dec.16,1873.

iv" at* UNITED STATES PATENT EEroE.

ALONZO WEEKS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN COMBINED SECRETARIES. WARDROBES. AND BEDSTADS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 145,703, dated December 16,` 1873; application filed October 3, 1873.

city and county of WVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Secretary- Bedsteads, of which the following is a speciiication:

This invention has for its object to combine with a secretary various articles of furniture, such as a bedstead, receptacles for bed-clothes and mattress, a sick-chair or night-stool, writingdesk, work-table or sideboard, movable seats, shelves or folding tables for toilet articles, lamps, Src., and closets for wardrobe and books, and other appendages to be hereinafter more fully described.

The invention chiefly consists in the arrangement, in respect to a secretary, of a bedstead, the side bars of which are jointed or hinged together, so as to enable the same to be folded together for shifting the bedstead into a recess or chamber in the secretary, in which position the head-board or front of the bedstead serves also as the front panel of the secretary, a hinged work-table or sideboard and pivoted seats being also applied to the outer side of the head-board, which are brought into use when the parts are in the position last referred to. The invention further consists in so constructing the folding bedstead that the same may be entirely disconnected from the secretary, the recess or chamber thus left open being then closed by hinged or jointed panels, which are attached to the top of the bedstead receiving-chamber, in such a manner as to be capable of being turned down to form the front the lower portion in section to show the mattress-receiving chamber, hinged side doors, and bed-clothes drawer with nightehair. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section, representing the bedstead when in position for use. Figs. G and 6b are detailed views of the hinged side bars of the bedstead with springs arranged in the slat sockets or seats. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the night chair and receptacle for bedclothes. Fig. 8 is a detail view, representing the means employed for lookin g the folding side bars of the bedstead. Fig. 9 is a section of the same.

A designates the secretary proper, which is provided with a central upper chamber, B, forming a wardrobe or clothes press, said wardrobe being provided with a hinged door, C, possessing a minor front. On both sides of the wardrobe are located book-closets D, closed by doors, and containing shelves for the reception of books and articles of stationery. The wardrobe is of a greater depth than the book-cases, so as to offer increased space, and also to bring the mirror into proper view. A sliding writing-desk, E, arranged in a recess below the wardrobe, as shown, is composed of two sections, which, when folded down and pushed into the recess, presents the appean ance of a drawer, and when drawn out are capable of being unfolded for forming a table or writing surface of a suitable size and shape. Drawers a. a, designed to serve as a dressing'- case and shirt-receptacle, or for other analogous uses, are located on both sides of the writing-desk, as shown. The top of the secretary is provided with a chamber, F, having a hinged cover, and designed to serve as a receptacle for mosquito-netting. The lower portion of the secretary is divided into two superposed compartments or chambers, G H, which are left with an open front and ends to re ceive the bedstead, and for other objects hereinafter stated. The upper compartment is specially adapted for use as a closet for the mattress or bedding, and the lower compartment is designed to receive a sliding box or drawer, I, which is of such a size and so arranged as to offer a sufficient space for stowing away the folding bedstead, hereinafter referred to. The drawer I is used as a receptable for the reception of a folding night or sick chair, K, as shown more clearly in Figs. 5 and 7.

The chair is of such a construction that the back and jointed side arms or braces may be readily folded down upon the seat, so as to close the opening in the same, and to offer no impediment to the movement of the drawer,

as the chair, when in a folded state, does not project a-bove the top ofthe same. A divisionstrip, c, limits the movement of the drawer I, and forms, also, a secondary or sub-chamber in the compartment G for use as a receptacle for a wash-bowl, pitcher, and bucket.

Both of the chambers referred to are closed by suitable side doors d d.

The bedstead proper is provided with a head-board, L, which is ornamented or carved on its outer side in cenformitywith the secretary, as it is designed to serve also as the front panel of the same when the bedstead is not in use. To the head-board andito a rear foot board, M, are attached a series of side bars, N, which are jointed or hinged together, as shown at O, Figs. 5, S, and 9, so as to be capa ble of being extended to form. continuous sidebars, as shown in Fi g. 5, or of being folded together, as in Fig. 3, when the bedstead is not in use.

The jointed side bars, when extended, are preserved in a iixed position by means of hooks l?, (shown in Fig. 8,) which are so arranged, in respect to the joints in the bars, that one of said hooks, attached to one scetion, will project beyond the joint, and engage with a movable hook on the adjacent section, as shown. Said hooks, or the series of hooks, are connected together by a cord or chain, so that, by pulling the latter, the hooks are disengaged for permitting the bedstead to be folded together. The bottom of the bedstead is composed of a series of slats, which, when not in use, are stored away into a pocket at 'the inner side of the head-board, being retained in place by buttons or other suitable fastening devices.

The slats,when used to form the bed-bottom, are inserted into metallic sockets or seats Q, applied to the sides ofthe jointed bars, said seats containing spiral or coiled springs R, which serve to form an elastic support for the slats. The head-board L is formed of jointed sections, which are folded down upon each other when the bedstead is not in use, so as to permit the latter to be folded up into as small a compass as possible for occupying vthe space in the bottom of the secretary. The sections ofthe foot-board, when unfolded in use, are maintained in av iixed position by sliding bolts or other fastening devices applied to the reverse side of the same. The front or head board L is also provided with two top sections or panels, connected by invisible joints, and so constructed that, when the bedstead is in use, said sections can be elevated, and retained in position.

When not in use as a bedstead, the hinged top section S of the head-board subserves the purpose of a work-table or sideboard, for it is capc ble of being turned from a vertical position, (shown in Fig. 1,) to a horizontal position, where it is retained by a suitable brace. Hinged seats T are applied to the front side of the head-board, which serve, also, as handles for drawing the bedstead out from the receiving-chamber, and into the same. The seats referred to are changed from a vertical to a horizontal position, and are then retained by catches or other fastening devices.

The bedstead, when withdrawn for use, is held in position, in respect to the secretary, by pivoted knobs or catches on the same engaging with corresponding fastening devices on the rear corner-posts 5 but no obstaele is offered to the entire removal of the bedstead when it is desired to arrange the same in a position remote from thesecretary, or when repairs or cleaning are necessary. In the latter event, provision must b e made for closing the lower front portion of the secretary, which has hitherto been accomplished by the head-board, as above described. I employ, as auxiliary means for the purpose stated, a hinged or sectional panel, U, which is located within the chamber H, and so constructed and arranged that it may be withdrawn from the same, and turned down to cover the front of the secretary. When not in use, said supplementary panel is arranged to lic flat against the top of the chamber H, in which position it is held by a swinging support or bracket, g, as shown in Fig. 3. The side openings of the mattress-chamber H are closed by means of downwardly-swin ging doors V,which,when in the position shown in Fig. 4, serve, respectively, as supports or tables for a lamp, medicine bottles, 85e., and as a washstand for the reception of basin, water, and other necessary toilet articles. In proper respect to the washstand, I locate one or more boxes, NV, as shown in Fig. 5, which are designed to receive soap, combs, brushes, Sac., and are so pivoted as to be turned into the chamber II, in contact with the top of the same, so as to enable the door V to be closed. The doors are supported, when turned down, by braces, as shown.

I do noty confine myself' tothe use of spring-slats to form the bed-bottom, for the same may be in the form of a webbing or sacking; in which event I locate a roller or shaft in the chamber or the base of the secretary, for winding the sacking upon the same as the bedstead is pushed' into the receivingchamber. y

Other modifications may also suggest themselves in use; and, as long as they do not depart from the spirit of my invention, I do not desire to restrict myself to the exact construction of parts shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combined secretary, wardrobe, bookcase, and writing desk, provided with the chambers G IVI, chair I, and the detacha ble folding bedstead, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In combination with a secretary having a folding bedstead constructed as described, the auxiliary jointed sections, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The folding bedstead, provided with a head-hoard having a hinged top section, which is adapted to be elevated into a vertical position to forni a prolongation of the base of the head-hoard7 and of being turned ,down against the side of the same when not in use, and of being retained in a horizontal position to serve as a Work-table, as herein shown and described.

4. The combined seats and handles7 pivoted A. H. NoRRIs, WM. J. PEYTON. 

